"Where the Overwater Bungalow Story Began"
Top 5 Page for this destinationBeach Tip by Kakapo2

The Intercontinental Beachcomber ? where dreams become true. It is located at Matira Point, Bora Bora?s main tourist area.

This hotel was the first one to build overwater bungalows which have now become the trademark of Bora Bora?s luxury hotels.

All overwater bungalows are built in the traditional Polynesian style. This means, they have thatched roofs and walls woven pandanus walls. Pandanus is a tree of the lily family with sword-like very sturdy leaves. It resembles the cabbage trees in New Zealand. But we also have a tree of the Pandanus family with the nickname Pineapple Tree, derived from the look of its fruit.

Not all overwater bungalows have those woven walls anymore. We saw quite a number of them with wooden walls. This is clearly a less maintenance construction.

BTW Most hotels have no swimming pools, as the lagoon is right at the doorstep. And from the overwater bungalows you can even jump right into the sea.

Another BTW: Some of those high-end hotels do not welcome visitors, and feel ? like the Club Med for example ? like a gated community. Well, or a private prison for well-heeled people ;-)

The Intercontinental Beachcomber is very visitor friendly. You are even allowed to use their beach facilities.